Hi Folks,

I was reading an article in a recent MCN about the new A2 Licence limits, and it got me thinking. Apparently the new A2 Licence permits riders to ride a new category of bike restricted to power output of 47bhp. The DSA (Driving Standards Agency) publishes a list of motorcycles which are sutable for the new A2 test.

According to the article, this includes the XT660R and the XT660Z Tenere, but NOT the XT660X Supermoto. Why not?? So, browsing through a copy of Yamaha's "Street 2012" brochure I find the specification quotes engine output of the XT660X at 48bhp - just one bhp over the new limit! However, not having an off-road brochure to hand, I couldn't find a comparable figure for the XT660R or XT660Z. Anyone happen to know what the Yamaha quoted bhp figure is for those? Obviously it must be under 47bhp, but how much under? Why are the XT660R and XT660Z engines less powerful than the Supermoto? And what is the difference down to? Different timing? Different fuelling? Less restrictive exhaust?

I was intrigued by this, so can anyone shed any light on the subject?